Caught in a storm over their naughtily low attendance in the Rajya Sabha, Sachin Tendulkar and Rekha could take a tip from Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa on how to make your presence felt — even when you’re absent. Tamil Nadu’s revolutionary leader might not be near the Lok Sabha. But her absence makes her party members’ hearts growfonder and they make up with frequent references to her. Thus, every AIADMK member begins speeches apparently by invoking the Puratchi Thalaivi Tamil Tai Amma — or revolutionary leader and Tamil mother-figure Jayalalithaa — and seeking her august blessings.

The latest round — when AIADMK’s T Radhakrishnan voiced worries on Chinese phatakas darkening Sivakasi’s fireworks but began with his flowery verbal label — evoked mirth in the Lok Sabha. The stratagem ensures no one forgets the Tamil Tai, explaining why BJP’s Nirmala Sitharaman responded to the title in kind. AIADMK, though, has a reasonable defence — their leaders have pointed out they are not pioneers in sycophancy. BJP MPs always invoke Narendra Modi, Congress leaders are forever applauding Sonia and Rahul, for Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee occupies a place in the pantheon that’s every bit as elevated as that of Jayalalithaa for AIADMK.

Sachin and Rekha could learn similar stratagems. They don’t have partymen to party with their names but they have fans thronging Parliament. If they could induce them to refer strategically to the famed cricketer or the iconic actor often — mentions of a boundary or bouncer maybe, or a strategic humming of Rekha’s hit, Kayda, kayda, aakhir fayda? — MPs might feel the absent are cosily present. Well, most MPs might feel that. Those asleep might not feel anything. But then, Rahul Gandhi is wide awake and leading a revolution of his own these days.

This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.